System for filling molds with cementitious concrete-like material and for unmolding resulting products

Abstract

A system for filling molds with cementitious concrete-like material and for unmolding resulting products, the system is comprised of an unmolding and molding subsystem. This subsystem is comprised of a mold unstacking station, an unmolding station, a mold pre-processing station, a concrete pouring station, a concrete leveling station and a mold stacking station. The system is also comprised of a concrete curing station and a concrete batching station.

1 . A system for producing cementitious products, said system comprising: 
 at least one mold for receiving cementitious material therein;    a molding and an unmolding subsystem comprising:    a pouring station for pouring the cementitious material into said mold;    a demolding station for removing formed cementitious products after curing thereof from said mold; and    a movement imparting system for imparting a translational movement between said mold and said molding and an unmolding subsystem.    
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said molding and an unmolding subsystem further comprises: 
 a mold pre-processing station positioned between said demolding station and said pouring station for treating said mold after removal of the formed cementitious products so as to be in condition for receiving the cementitious material    
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said molding and an unmolding subsystem further comprises: 
 a stacking station upstream said demolding station for stacking a plurality of mold containing poured cementitious material.    
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein said molding and an unmolding subsystem further comprises: 
 an unstacking station for upstream said stacking station and for unstacking said plurality of mold containing formed cementitious products after curing thereof, said unstacking station being downstream said demolding station.    
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein said molding and an unmolding subsystem further comprises a leveling station positioned between said pouring station and said stacking station so as to level the poured cementitious material in said mold before stacking thereof.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said demolding station comprises: 
 an unmolding system for dislodging and extracting the cementitious products from said mold; and    a stacking system for storing the extracted products.    
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising, a curing station.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising, batching station for preparing a cementitious material mixture for said pouring station.  
   
   
       9 . A demolding station for dislodging and removing molded cementitious products from a mold, said demolding station comprising a dislodging system, said mold comprising a bottom plate portion and top resilient portion containing the molded cementitious products, said bottom plate portion comprising openings, said dislodging system comprising moveable protrusions for engaging said top resilient portion through said bottom portion openings thereby dislodging said cementitious products.  
   
   
       10 . A demolding station according to  claim 9  further comprising a retaining member for retaining a periphery of said mold top resilient portion during said dislodging operation.  
   
   
       11 . A demolding station according to  claim 9 , further comprising a suction-device positioned above said mold so as to apply a suction force on said cementitious products during said dislodging operation.  
   
   
       12 . A demolding station according to  claim 9  further comprising, a suction-device positioned above said mold for removing said cementitious products after said dislodging operation.  
   
   
       13 . A demolding station according to  claim 12 , wherein said suction-device is moveable so as to transfer said removed cementitious products towards a stacking system.  
   
   
       14 . A pouring station for pouring cementitious material into a mold for molding a cementitious product, said mold comprising at least one mold compartment, said station comprising: 
 a cementitious material pouring device,    a movement imparting device for imparting a translational movement between said pouring device and said mold, and    a locating device for stopping said mold during translational movement thereof at least one predetermined position, said predetermined position corresponding to a predetermined position of said at least one mold compartment near said pouring device so as to receive cementitious material therefrom;    wherein when said locating device stops said mold at said predetermined position said pouring device pours cementitious material in said predeterminedly positioned mold compartment.    
   
   
       15 . A pouring station according to  claim 14 , wherein said mold comprises a plurality of compartments.  
   
   
       16 . A pouring station according to  claim 14 , wherein said cementitious pouring device comprises at least one vat.  
   
   
       17 . A pouring station according to  claim 16 , wherein said vat comprises a bottom nozzle comprising an opening, a removable trap being positioned about said opening.  
   
   
       18 . A pouring station according to  claim 14 , wherein said movement imparting device comprises a conveyor.  
   
   
       19 . A pouring station according to  claim 14 , wherein said locating device comprises a plurality of retractable stoppers.  
   
   
       20 . A curing station for curing cementitious material within molds, said station comprising support structure defining a curing chamber, said support structure defining a mold entry end and an opposite mold exit end and having a downward inclination from said entry end to said exit end for providing for said molds in said curing chamber to be displaced via gravity pull from said entry end to said exit end, wherein said period of time for displacing said molds from said entry end to said displacement end is sufficient for curing the cementitious material within said molds.  
   
   
       21 . A curing station according to  claim 20 , wherein said support structure comprises rollers for providing said molds to be displaced thereon.  
   
   
       22 . A curing station according to  claim 20 , wherein said support structure comprises a plurality of levels defined by rails separated by longitudinal members thereby defining tunnels, each said tunnel configured to receive a stack of said molds.  
   
   
       23 . A curing station according to  claim 20 , wherein said support structure comprises a system for maintaining and controlling humidity within said curing chamber.  
   
   
       24 . A batching station for preparing molding mixtures of cementitious material, said station comprising: 
 concrete mixing station;    weighing and storage bins for aggregates;    aggregate-weighing handling and control equipment positioned beneath said bins and in communication with said concrete mixing station;    aggregate handling equipment in communication with said aggregate-weighing handling and control equipment;    adjuvant dosing and injecting system in communication with said concrete mixing station;    cement storage silo;    cement handling equipment in communication with said cement storage silo; and    concrete weighing and accumulating bin in communication with said cement handling equipment and said concrete mixing station    
   
   
       25 . A system for producing cementitious products, said system comprising a controller linked to a molding and an unmolding subsystem; and a batching station for receiving data therefrom and signaling data thereto.  
   
   
       26 . A method for producing cementitious products, said method comprising: 
 providing a plurality molds;    displacing said plurality of molds on a continuous pathway during said method successively pouring cementitious material into said molds;    continuously batching a mixture of cementitious material mixture that is to be poured leveling said poured cementitious material within said molds;    stacking said molds with said leveled cementitious material;    providing a curing chamber for allowing displacement of said stacks of mold therein from an entry end to an exit end thereof for a sufficient curing time to provide formed cementitious products;    unstacking said stacked molds having said formed cementitious products;    dislodging said formed cementitious products from said molds;    removing said formed cementitious products from said molds;    stacking said cementitious products; and    treating said emptied molds so as to render said molds in condition to receive cementitious material.